


A Black Turn of Events

by Eclipsi



Series: The Last Black [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-03
Updated: 2015-10-25
Packaged: 2018-04-24 15:10:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4924381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eclipsi/pseuds/Eclipsi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story of a child of Regulus Black - if he had lived long enough to have a child.<br/>When the Order is failing, they call upon for help a secretive, lonely, untrustworthy woman who had many sources of information, named Venus Black.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A Last Resort

**Author's Note:**

  * For [alldogsarepuppys](https://archiveofourown.org/users/alldogsarepuppys/gifts).



The Order sat around the long dining room table in the basement of Grimmauld place. Professor Albus Dumbledore was sitting at one end of the table, the tips of his finger pressed together, peering over his half-moon spectacles.  
"We need more members." Dumbledore said, calmly. "While I'm all for quality instead of quantity, we are fighting a vastly outnumbered war." he surveyed each of them at the table, peering over his fingers. "Any suggestions?" he said after no one else spoke, sounding apparently calm.  
"I don't think anyone else in the Auror office would do." Kingsley said, in his deep caribbean accent, sitting back and sighing. Then there was silence. Dumbledore's eyes rested on Tonks, who looked like she was debating whether or not she should suggest someone.  
"Miss Tonks?" Dumbledore prompted.  
"Well... there was a powerful witch at school with me..." Tonks began, not in her usual bouncy manner, but hesitant, worrying that her suggestion would be too bold. "She seemed to.. she knew everything that went on somehow. She was... one of my friends... close friends... but she wasn't in my house. She didn't really seem to fit into any of the houses."  
"Ah." Dumbledore said, knowing who she meant. He smiled slightly, "Well."  
"I don't know where she is now, but she can turn up anywhere." Tonks said, shrugging. She relaxed now that Dumbledore hadn't dismissed her suggestion.  
"Who?" Remus asked, looking between Dumbledore and Tonks, his eyes narrowed.  
"Venus Black. Regulus's... bastard." Tonks said, biting her lip. "His daughter, the result of his affair."  
"I don't think it would be wise to trust her," Snape put in, like Remus, looking from Dumbledore to Tonks, as if to see their verdict.  
"Sirius, what do you think?" Dumbledore turned his head to Sirius, ignoring Snape's remark.  
"Well, you know my views of my family, Albus." Sirius said, shrugging and laying back in his chair. "I wouldn't trust her entirely but... we need her help, do we not?" Sirius said. Dumbledore nodded.  
"We do indeed." he said quietly.  
"Which department does she work in?" Moody growled.  
"None. The ministry refused to employ her - not that she wanted to work there anyway. She works at Gringotts, with the dragon's down below. She looks after them." Tonks said. Mundungus Fletcher snorted.  
"Sounds like a righ' princess, don't she?" Dung said.  
"She looks after dragons now, does she?" Remus put in, ignoring Mundungus like usual.  
"You knew her?" Tonks asked.  
"Well, vaguely. She lives near me in Yorkshire. An isolated cottage. I hear the strangest goings on when I go past her house. She sometimes practises swordfighting in her back garden and she keeps all kinds of creatures. From Fire Crabs to Grindylows." Dumbledore sat back.  
"I think that means we ought to go and fetch her." Dumbledore said, chuckling a little. Molly Weasley thought it was strange that Dumbledore was laughing in such a grave situation.  
***  
"Mr Lupin, I was expecting to see you." Venus said opening her door and walking down the path towards the gate where a group of people were talking, obviously discussing how to ask Venus Black to join.  
Venus Black was a tall, skinny woman. She walked, being led by her hips, which turned flirtacious after every step, and was wearing black lipstick. Her hair was black, wavy and came down to her mid-back. She was wearing also black robes, which billowed behind her. Her eyes were a blue-grey; similar to her uncle Sirius's, and her nose small and very slightly upturned. Although she could've been very pretty, at the moment she looked peaky and had purple bags under her eyes, and her eyes looked slightly sunken into her face.  
"Hello, Miss Black, this is-"  
"Alastor Moody, and my old friend Nymphadora Tonks. Or am I forgetting you prefer to be addressed as Tonks. Funny the things you forget after several years with no contact." she said dryly, "I wonder what brings three members of the Order of the Phoenix to my house. Oh wait, they're here to recruit me. Which, I have to admit, I was not expecting that." Venus said, opening the gates to them. "Can I assume you're going to ask to come in and talk to me?" Tonks was trying to surpress a grin at the others' reactions - which were speechless. Venus held out her hand to Tonks. Tonks took it and Venus pulled her into an embrace.  
"Long time no see, Dora." Venus said.  
"And you as well, Ven." Tonks said. Venus let go and smiled at her. She led them inside.  
"Now, can I assume or not that this recruitment may well be the death of me?" she sat down at her table, with the rest of them.  
"It could be." Moody grunted.  
"And can I also assume you are greatly outnumbered by the opposing side of Voldemort's?" she asked, straight to the point.  
"Yes-" Remus said.  
"And you also have very few leads to go on, except one thing you know he really should not get his hands on which you are protecting?" she asked.  
"Well, yeah." Tonks said, knowing it would be useless to lie to her.  
"Now why in my right mind would I want to join a cause like that?" Venus leant forward in her seat, leaning on her elbows.  
"Because if the Death Eaters come knocking, and they recruit you, everything good in this world will vanish." Remus said. Venus smirked.  
"Do I have that much of an effect?" Venus laughed dryly, "Now, I am on nil sides. I am neutral. The Ministry I conspire against and Hogwarts I believe all the houses are competitive and are not setting up students well for life. And the Order, my sources say, is failing. Voldemort's forces are growing as we speak and he will cover this world with a second darkness."  
"Not if you help." Remus said. Venus put the tips of her fingers together and leant across the table.  
"Tell me, Remus Lupin, why would I help you? Answer correctly, and I will come. Tell me every reason why I should help you, why I should get myself killed for you, and what would make me want to come with you. But only," she smirked. "In one word." She was standing up now, her hands splayed out on the table as she leant on them, a twisted smile on her face. Remus sat there for a while, thinking while looking into Venus's eyes. Then he opened his mouth.  
"Leniency." Lupin said. Venus smiled, shaking her head slightly, and then began laughing. She stepped away from the table, then she stopped shaking her head and started nodding.  
"Yes. Oh, yes, Mr Lupin. I was thinking about that. I have to say, you proved me wrong. You knew exactly what to say." She kept nodding. "Thank you,"  
"I know you would never accept compassion." Remus said, shrugging. Venus nodded.  
"Shall we go?" Venus said. Moody stood up, limped over to her and passed over a piece of paper. It read '12 Grimmauld Place' in long slanted writing, and then burnt itself up. Venus nodded and then they apparated together to Grimmauld Place and went in after the house magically slid out from the surrounding building. Sirius was there.  
"Well, well, if it isn't Mr Black." Venus smirked. Sirius smirked back.  
"Well hello there, Ven. Looking as skinny as ever before." Sirius said. They then broke out in laughter and then Venus gave him a hug. "Nice to see you again, niece." he winked. "Not been in any trouble I grant?"  
"You're hardly the one to talk. The ministry nearly got evidence for me a while ago. Luckily one of my sources caught word and destroyed the evidence." Venus smirked.  
"What did you do this time?" Asked Sirius.  
"Oh, the usual. Enchanted a muggle car to drive into Malfoy Manner." Venus said, shrugging. Sirius laughed and shook his head. Then Arthur Weasley appeared.  
"You enchanted the car?" Arthur said, his eyes wide. He then realised he'd been eavesdropping and his ears turned a little red.  
"Oh and you've never done a thing like that, have you, Mr Weasley? Not enchanted one to fly and have extra space, ever?" Venus said. Mr Weasley's ears went much redder and then he shuffled out of the room.


	2. A Rocky Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Battle in the Department of Mysteries

A meeting was called the next day. Venus came down to it and sat at the table, listening to everyone, but rarely interrupting. She was a very good listener, actually. It's just people only noticed her when she was loud. They were discussing an attempted break in to the Department of Mysteries.  
"We don't know who it was, but they came close-" said Snape.  
"Ah, now. You don't know who it was. That's a funny thing, isn't it. Because you do not know." Venus taunted. All eyes looked on her.  
"And you do?" Snape said, mocking her accent.  
"Of course I do. Just use your mind. Who would be clumsy enough to be seen? Who would be tall enough? Yet they were sensible enough to apparate away." Venus began. No one replied so Venus sighed.  
"If you know who it is, just tell us. We don't need poetry." growled Moody.  
"Don't rush me." Venus snapped. "It was Goyle. He's not quite as thick as people think, you know. Well, that's only because people think he's so thick he can't speak a straight sentence. I believe he's mastered basic vocabulary but nothing complicated..."  
*  
Venus had a conversation with Lupin after the meeting.  
"Did you grow up here?" Lupin asked, looking around the kitchen - now empty except from them.  
"Yes. Well, at least, for most of my childhood. My father's wife always hated me, she abused me every time Regulus looked away. I suppose he didn't intervene because seeing me brought up feelings of guilt on his part. But he would look after me most of the time. After he died, though, my step-mother went mad and took my half-siblings away. Never saw them again."  
"You were here on your own?" Remus asked.  
"For a while, until my letter for Hogwarts came and I went there. Dumbledore found out about my situation and I got sent to an orphanage by the ministry. As soon as I turned 17 I moved to Yorkshire, away from the rest of the human race... that was five years ago now." Venus stared across the room, casting her mind back to the past before leaving the room and going upstairs.  
*  
Venus became very useful in the Order, and was able to deliver any information that was possible to attain - although they weren't making much progress. Later on in the year, after many uneventful meeting and very little progress, Venus was having a conversation with Remus, when the fire started flickering. No one else noticed but Venus leapt up and went over to it, peering at it with her eyes narrowed.  
"What is it?" Remus asked, standing up and walking over in a less troubled matter.  
"Someone's trying to contact us." Venus said, then, however, a hook-nosed, greasy haired face appeared in the fireplace.  
"Potter's gone after Black." Severus hissed. "He must've had a vision, and he thinks Black is in the Department of Mysteries. Is Black actually there or is this a fake?"  
"Sirius is here, with us." Venus said, biting her lip.  
"Potter's gone to the Department of Mysteries with his friends. It's a trap. Get over there. Now!" Severus hissed. Venus swept up and rushed up the stairs into the entrance hall.  
"Tonks! Alastor! Kingsley! Sirius!" Bellowed Venus. They came rushing down.  
"We need to go to the Department now. Potter's gone there. It's a trap." Venus said. They all disapparated and appeared a moment later through white fog in the Department of Mysteries. The Death Eaters had got there first. Venus drew her wand out.  
"Well hello there, Auntie Bellatrix." She said before swiping her wand at her, which flew out sparks and knocked her over the back, leaving Neville free. Venus then leapt over the rocks making her way to Neville. Sparks began flying everywhere and Venus had to dodge and block multiple spells that came flying towards her. The atmosphere was immense and everyone was shouting. Venus cast no spells while she went over to Neville.  
"Go with the others. We'll take it from here." She said. Neville nodded and Venus jumped down the rocky side and went over to Bellatrix. She pointed her wand at the dazed figure that was Bellatrix and smirked as she watched Bellatrix come back to her senses.  
"Having a little nap, are we?" Venus said, a grimace on her face. Bellatrix immediately swiped her wand at Venus who was quick enough to deflect it. It was then Venus' turn to cast. Straight after deflecting the curse, she flicked her wand and yelled.  
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" White sparks flew from her wand but met a curse from Bellatrix. The two spells collided but both Venus and Bellatrix kept themselves strong as the spells linked. Venus leaned into it and tried to force Bellatrix's spell back but with little luck. She then forced her wand to point upwards and the spells collided with the ceiling with a great BANG. Rock and dust fell down like rain and Venus crouched down with her hands over her head, to defend herself from the rock. The noise was deafening and she was too scared to move out of the way. When finally the noise stopped she felt rocks all around her. She couldn't see - it was too dusty - and she didn't even know which way was up. Venus tried to move but the rocks were either too heavy or she was too weak. Her wand was still in her hand, and while she was still terrified and in shock, she lit the end of her wand.  
"Alarte ascendare," she said hoarsley. Red lights blew out of her wand and then all the rocks above her went into the air and fell to the side, allowing Venus to climb out. Looking around through the dust Venus could see Bellatrix leaving the room with a smirk on her face. Everyone had stopped fighting and was looking extremely upset. Venus didn't understand. As she stood up, black floating shapes came in front of her eyes... they were getting bigger and her head was throbbing, she looked for something to hold on for support but then she fell down to her knees and remembered no more.


	3. An Irreplaceable Hole

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After finding out about Sirius's death, Venus feels as though she'll never be whole again.

Blinking, she opened her eyes. She felt absolutely awful, and couldn't bring herself to sit up. Slowly, her thoughts caught up with her groggy mind. She pushed herself up, her muscles feeling so weak.  
"Harry..." she said quietly. She blinked rapidly, trying to focus her vision. Then she forced herself onto her feet and stumbled out of whatever room she was in, then tripped over down the stairs with numerous loud thuds. Her vision spun as she rolled down the stairs. Winded and gasping for air when she stopped, she heard footsteps rushing. Remus appeared.  
"Venus," he said, going over and kneeling next to her. He took his wand out and pointed it at Venus's chest. She could breathe again.  
"Thank you, Remus." She said hoarsly. She coughed and cleared her throat. She already had a head injury and it had been worsened by the fall and had begun to bleed again. Remus lifted her up and put her the right way around. She put her hand on her head and took it back and saw it was covered in blood.  
"Where's Harry? Is he okay?" Venus asked. Last time she'd seen him his mind was being invaded by Voldemort.  
"He's back at school. He's fine. That was a week ago, Venus, you've been unconscious for a week." Remus said, calm as his manner was always.  
"What happened to my head?" Venus asked.  
"You were hit with a powerful curse that makes it very difficult to stop bleeding. You had bleeding in the brain and a fractured skull." Remus said, peering down at her. He pointed his wand at her head and waved it across the wound which made it stop bleeding. It was still stinging with pain but she had important things to discuss.  
"Where's Sirius? I swear I'll kill him... Potter wouldn't of got into that situation if it weren't for him..." She said, taking deep breaths at the end of each phrase. Remus cleared his throat.  
"He's not here," Remus said, strangely hoarsly. Venus looked up at Remus.  
"Dumbledore will not be happy with him... he's not supposed to leav-" Venus began, not wanting to think where he could be.  
"Venus," Remus interrupted, his face wincing at the thought of what he was about to say. He then spoke barely louder than a whisper. "Bellatrix cursed him after he took down Lucius... he's... he's dead."  
A mourning silence went between them for a minute that felt like an hour. Venus felt her eyes welling up and tried to hold back her tears in front of Remus, but failed. She didn't want to believe it. She didn't know what to say, what to think, what to do. Her only living relative had been taken from her. She'd always been able to hide her emotions, pretend she was untrustworthy and rude. But not now. Now she felt as raw with emotion as any other human being. She shared Remus's grief and their hearts beat as one in this short minute. Remus, too, was shedding tears.  
After the minute of silence she cleared her throat.  
"Did anyone else.. y'know... did anyone else..." She tried to say but all words failed her. Remus shook his head.  
"Some of the students got injured but... no. No one else..." he too couldn't bring himself to say it. This was the first time Venus had seen Remus lose his composure - and it made Venus uncomfortable. Venus may act as if she's so big headed no criticism or hard time could penetrate into her brain, but not-too-deep down, she looked up to and respected Remus.  
She could hear someone coming up the stairs from the kitchen and hastily rubbed the tears away from her face, but knew she still looked patchy and upset. Mrs. Weasley appeared coming up the stairs. Molly's hair was rather messy and she looked tired. Her usually cheery face looked solemn when she saw Venus and Remus upset and in a state. Mrs Weasley had never really seen eye-to-eye with Venus, but her motherly nature overtook any negative thoughts she might usually have about Venus.  
"Oh, you two," she said, looking genuinly sad, looking down at Remus and Venus who were sitting side by side on the stairs. She just looked at them for a few moments before speaking again. "You two, come into the dining room and I'll make you a cup of tea." She put on a determined but unconvincing smile. Neither Remus nor Venus moved. Venus did a long sigh and then stood up, rubbed her eyes and then walked down to the dining room. Remus didn't follow her, but instead got up and went to the front door and left Grimmauld place.  
When in the dining room she slumped down into the nearest seat, leaning back, closed her eyes and clutching the bridge of her nose. Mrs Weasley tapped the kettle with her wand and got out a chipped china cup and a plate, emptying a packet of biscuits onto it. She went and put the plate and cup with a teabag in front of Venus, who didn't respond. Mrs Weasley then went back to the kettle and lifted it with two hands and went and poured some boiling water into Venus's cup. Venus muttered a 'thanks'. She opened her eyes again and put her hand down, and looked around the kitchen. When she was a child this house had been dusty. It felt like home more than ever now. Sirius had cleaned and tidied since he moved back into it, but it was her house now.  
She lifted out the teabag and squeezed all the water out by pulling on the drawstrings, casting it aside onto the table. She had no apetite to touch any of the biscuits and just stared at her tea as it cooled down. She felt Molly sit down opposite her, the scraping of the chair echoed against the walls. Venus, however, didn't look up when Mrs Weasley cleared her throat, she was just examining how very interesting the teacup was. She had a piercing headache and wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.  
"Venus, you can't..." Mrs Weasley began but then didn't know what to say so she sighed and tried again. "You will be happier than this," Mrs Weasley took one of Venus's hands and clasped it it both of hers. Her hands felt warm to Venus, who always felt cold.  
"I don't feel like that right now." Venus said in a dull, monotonal voice. "I feel as though a great hole has been ripped out of me and that nothing will ever be the same." Still Venus's eyes did not move off the teacup.  
"No, they won't be the same again. But nothing ever stays the same for long, Venus." Mrs Weasley said, looking very sad as she looked upon the pitiful sight that was Venus Black. Venus pulled her hand back and stood up.  
"I'm going to bed now." she said flatly. She turned around and walked towards the door, and closing it behind her as she left. The closing of the door echoed throughout the kitchen, leaving Mrs Weasley alone.


End file.
